The present invention is directed to a clip case, i.e. a holder for small metallic items that are magnetizable such as paper clips, commonly known as gem clips. More particularly, the present invention is directed to such a clip holder or case which facilitates both retention and withdrawal of paper clips therefrom.
Paper clip cases and holders have been available for quite some time to retain small metallic objects that are magnetizable, notably paper clips, e.g., upon an office desk. There is a need to securely retain the gem clips in a case or holder so that the clips do not scatter; at the same time, there is a need to expedite withdrawal of such clips from the case in a smooth, quick manner. Attaining these needs has often been mutually exclusive.
For example, a prior art gem clip holder can be found in Japanese Patent Laid-Open HEI.-2 (1990)-85184 which is directed to an easy-to-use handy case for storing small metallic utensils such as gem clips 12. According to this prior art embodiment, the container 2 holding the gem clips 12 moves along a cylinder 1, to come in contact with magnets 5a, 5b, 5c, positioned at the top of the cylinder 1. All the magnets 5a, 5b, 5c are installed along the cylinder 1 in overlapping fashion with magnetic force lines pointing in the same direction. The device disclosed in HEI.-2 (1990)-85184 can be unstable in that a large container 2 must move up and down a fairly narrow spindle or cylinder 1. Furthermore, the container 2 is open at the top thereof so clips can be explicitly removed therefrom as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 6a-c. Thus, retained clips 12 are in danger of inadvertently falling out of the open container 2, especially if the unstable container 2 is jostled and/or knocked over.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,114 to Steinberg discloses a dispenser 10 for hairpins 9 in which the pins 9 are extracted upwardly through apertures 18, 19 radially positioned about an upper lid 12 upwardly biased about a center post 13 by a spring 14 (magnets 20 and 20 are adjacently positioned to the apertures 18, 19 on the lid). It is necessary for the legs of the hairpin 9 to be cammed inwardly to be extracted through apertures 18 and 19 (column 3, lines 6-14). U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,528 to Leedy and U.S. Pat No. 3,587,835 to Shore disclose paper clip containers designed for storage and removal of the paper clips through open tops thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,365 to Yamazaki also discloses a gem clip case with holder 1 in which the clips 2 are magnetically stored and removed through a top opening 6.
UK Pat. Appln. No. GB 2,241,693 to Hsu discloses a case 1 for paper clips, tacks, etc. having an interior curvelinearly inclining space 14 with a cylindrical magnetic roller set 2 rotatably mounted adjacent a lowest portion of the interior space 14. The cylindrical roller set 2 itself is composed of two hollow cylinders 21 and 22 connected together by an inner sleeve 23, with two circular magnets connected to opposite ends of the inner sleeve 23 and received within the hollow cylinders 21 and 22 (FIG. 1). Paper clips, tacks, etc. 5 are removed from the interior 14 of the casing 1 by rotating the roller set 2 as shown in FIG. 3 to upwardly move the clips 5 between the roller set 2 and top cover plate 34 which can be lifted for replenishing the interior 14 with paper clips, tacks, etc. Fairly precise dimensions would appear to be required to ensure clips 5 can pass upwardly between roller set 2 and cover plate 34, with the cover plate securely removable from and securable to the cover 3, to allow paper clips, tacks 5, etc. to be replenished within the interior.
UK Pat. Appln. No. GB 2,241,692 to Hsu discloses a casing 1 for paper clips 6 having an inner sloping container 2 and cover 3, with paper clips 6 being upwardly removed therefrom by rotating a disc wheel 4 having magnets 42 radially disposed thereabout, such that rotating clips 6 are lifted through an upper slot 311 in the cover 3 and fall upon an upper bearing surface 33 of the cover 3, as shown in FIG. 4. This embodiment requires, among other features, precise dimensions for removing clips 6 upwardly through the slot 311.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved case or holder for small metallic utensils such as paper or gem clips.
It is a more detailed object of the present invention to provide such a gem clip case or holder which facilitates both storage within and withdrawal of the clips therefrom.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a case or holder for gem clips which allows for easy introduction of individual clips thereinto, secure retention of individual clips therein and, at the same time, facilitates withdrawal of the clips therefrom.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a container which can be easily manufactured with minimal number of separable components.
It is yet another object of the present invention to minimize need for precise tolerances or clearances in manufacturing such a case or holder.
These and other objects are attained by the present invention which is directed to a case for retaining paper clips or other magnetizable items, comprising a container substantially in the shape of a wing or an aileron. An at least partially magnetized spindle is rotatably mounted upon the container to remove the clips by rotating in either of two opposite directions.
More particularly, the case comprises a container body having a hollow interior for containing and storing the items, and an opening or slit at a front end thereof for removing the clips from the interior. A cylindrical body, i.e. spindle, is rotatably mounted at this front end of the container. At least one, preferably disc-shaped magnet is mounted within the spindle.
When the spindle is rotated, items attracted to the magnetic spindle from within the container interior are rotated outside of the container and easily removed for use. At the same time, clips can be easily and securely stored within the container, e.g., by inserting the clips between the spindle and container or through a lateral opening provided in another side of the container. A space is provided both above and below the rotating spindle.
Thus, not only are paper clips and the like more easily removed from a clip case or holder of the present invention, but the clips are more easily and securely introduced and stored in the inventive clip case, with minimal danger of inadvertently falling out therefrom. The inventive clip case is extremely easy to assemble and use, having a minimal number of separate parts that must be fastened together. Indeed, the only movable part in the inventive case is the rotating spindle, with the main container being integrally formed in a preferred embodiment. When the main container and interior are shaped as a wing or an aileron, with the rotating spindle mounted at a larger open end thereof, ease of introduction, storing and retrieving paper clips is especially facilitated. Precise tolerances or clearances are not required for manufacturing the inventive case which successfully operates over a wide range of clearance between the rotating spindle and container.